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Mon Feb 02, 2015 2:54 pm

Does anyone know who rebuilds Bay Bus steering boxes? other that vendors..:roll: I called 2 bus vendors, they are both out of stock and have no idea when they'll have some.. :(

Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:07 pm

for what year? early bays are expensive to get new ones, but anyone who isn't brain dead can rebuild one. I wouldn't call a salesman for service, do you have any local shops?

Go to either a ACVW specialist or an off-road shop.

Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:11 pm

Brian wrote: for what year? early bays are expensive to get new ones, but anyone who isn't brain dead can rebuild one. I wouldn't call a salesman for service, do you have any local shops?

Go to either a ACVW specialist or an off-road shop.

71' No local shops in San Angelo (west) Texas, it there a rebuild kit available or what's needed to rebuild ( have competent friends) I'm close to brain dead :lol:

Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:32 pm

some one on e-bay sells them out of Sacramento :-k

https://www.google.com/search?q=211+415+049&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#safe=off&q=211+415+049f+

Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:49 pm

ship it over to me, I need some practice before I do mine :lol:

Yea, I think they still have kits. Do you have a good shop manual? it goes through on how to service it.

Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:59 pm

please talk with Skills before you order a rebuilt steering box.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=520877&highlight=rebuilt+steering+box

The boxes are not that hard to rebuilt EXCEPT that the peg in early boxes is now NLA from VW so a box with a peg that has flat-spotted will always be a flat-spotted peg. THAT SAID, Alan Schofield indicates they sell repop pegs for L80. VWHeritage shows them for L119 but they are out. http://www.alanhschofield.com/ourparts/prod_2850482-Steering-peg-211415223B.html

Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:52 pm

you rang? :D

what I have found is the output shaft is beat to shit and the cases are hogged out. the real fix is to machine the cases and turn the shaft to accept a bushing with spiral grooves machined in it for oiling purposes.

the bearings can be had, but are expensive. the last box I did for a guy ran just under 900.00 installed. this was after paying my wifes uncle (who is in my book, the worlds most brilliant machinist with over 40 years of doing it for submarines)

that was a true rebuilt box. I made about 75.00 in the end. hold me back.....

Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:58 pm

Sorry to hijack, but is there a tutorial or video somewhere that shows how to add oil to the steering box? Based on my POs history I can only assume it needs some love.

Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:43 pm

kkjellquist wrote: ... how to add oil to the steering box? ...

Wash bottle from Amazon.

Aloha
tp

Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:03 pm

Probably not an idea that a lot of people will like, but I was out on the road when my box started leaking oil pretty bad and I needed a quick solution. I ended up drilling a tiny hole in the case near the top of the box and adding grease to the box with a needle adapter. I initially closed the hole I drilled off with a dab of silicone as the silicone was easy to remove. I added a bit of grease annually for several years and gradually the box stopped leaking. At present the hole is blocked off with JB Weld as I don't foresee removing it until such time as I am ready to tear the box down and replace the seals.

Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:58 pm

there is a thread on using grease IIRC some one even installed a zerk fitting.

I to use grease.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=451071&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Mon Feb 02, 2015 8:31 pm

To link to this post
Code: [url=http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7541028#7541028]Steering Box[/url]

Steering Box Rebuilding

Late Bay Steering Box to Early Bay
73-79 TRW Steering Box in a 68-72 (demon1018)

Steering box lube
There is a little info in here.
grease packed steering box anyone try it??

asiab3 wrote: Danwvw wrote: Just found a good used steering box for my 1971 vw bus here on the samba, It's a 211 415 049 F VW part number on the name plate: It seems good doesn't have any noticeable play in it. There is a Rubber or plastic seal or cap of some type on the input and what looks like a sealed bearing on the output DG 27.37.712 on it and a "9" and KAC0 and some symbol. Does anyone know where to get a rebuild kit or these seals for this Bus Steering Box? Any thoughts on this? How hard is it to replace the bearings?

One for the steering shaft (24X36x7), and one for the pitman arm shaft (27x37x7), are regular oil seals like you'd find for your wheel bearings or main seal. They are available for about $10 each from Bearing Distributors in Spartanburg South Carolina. I had a receipt with their part numbers on there, but I can't find it right now. The ones I got were SKF brand and fit perfectly.

http://www.bearingdistributors.com

EDIT: forgot the most important link:
http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=11096

I did mine in a few hours, not counting the 5 hours it took to get the damn undercoating off, and the 3 hours to get my steering recentered THANKS PO…